Methods and compositions for detecting hepatitis E virus

摘要

Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for detecting the presence in a sample of a US-type or a US-subtype hepatitis E virus, including naturally occurring variants thereof. In particular, the invention provides nucleic acid sequences corresponding to the genome of the US-type or US-subtype hepatitis E virus, amino acid sequences, including epitope sequences, encoded by the genomes of such viruses, and antibodies that bind specifically to such amino acid sequences. The invention further provides methods and compositions for immunizing individuals against infection by, or for treating individuals already infected with such a virus.